Weather, Water, Energy 10-03-06

Okay, it's getting too intense when a storm in Alaska in October can create an ocean swell that cracks a giant iceberg near Antarctica, which came as something of a shock even to climatologists. . . . Too bad it couldn't crack this meeting of "Top 20 Polluters" in Mexico. Lot of talk about dialogue, especially about helping poor nations keep their emissions down as they develop. Lot of talk, lot of talk. . . . Here's something they could walk some talk about. Italy's dropping higher taxes on SUVs and luxury cars to raise funding and to cut pollution. Odds on other nations doing the same? . . . A U of NE-Lincoln study finds that parts of the state are seeing groundwater declines of more than 30 feet due to increased irrigation and drought. The irrigation-dependent areas have been hit the hardest. Growing up in OK and going to MU, it's hard to work up a tear for NE, but this is just the first time you'll hear this story, and not just about NE. . . . On the topic of states we don't love, the current TX gov pledges to raise $10 b. from private companies for wind energy development. We've noted before that the state is now the wind leader of the US (and all the true jokes that go with that), and its Nixon Goes to China approach here may be actually what alternative energy needs. I have to go shower now. . . . But to finish on a good note, OPEC's president is calling for member oil cuts as prices drop. The decline seems to be of concern to those fine, upright businessmen. Let's keep them in our thoughts. . . bwahahahaha . . . .